First group of released Nigerian females brought to safety

First group of released Nigerian females brought to safety

1of3Women and children rescued by Nigeria soldiers from Islamist extremists at Sambisa forest arrive at a camp in Yola, Nigeria, Saturday May. 2, 2015. The first group of nearly 300 Nigerian girls and women released from captivity by Boko Haram were brought by the military to the safety of a refugee camp in the country's northeast Saturday evening. More than 677 females have been released this week, as the Nigerian military continues its campaign to push the Islamic extremists out of their last remaining strongholds in the Sambisa Forest. ( AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)Photo: Sunday Alamba, STF / Associated Press

2of3A soldier accompanies Lami Musa, 27, as she carries her 4-day-old child after being released from Boko Haram captivity toward a camp in Yloa, Nigeria.Photo: Sunday Alamba /Associated Press

3of3In this photo made available by the Nigerian Military taken Wednesday, April 29, 2015, a Nigerian soldier stands next to woman and children that were allegedly rescued by the Nigerian Military after being taken by Islamic extremists in Sambisa Forest, Nigeria. Scores more women and children have been rescued from Islamic extremists in the remote Sambisa Forest, Nigeria's military said amid reports that some of the women fought their rescuers fiercely. (Nigerian Military via AP)Photo: Associated Press

YOLA, Nigeria — The first group of nearly 300 Nigerian girls and women released from Boko Haram were brought by the military to the safety of a refugee camp in the country’s northeast Saturday evening.

More than 677 females were released last week, as the Nigerian military continued its campaign to push the Islamic extremists out their last remaining strongholds in the Sambisa Forest.

As darkness fell in this dusty part of Yola, a convoy of vehicles brought the women and young children crammed into the open backs of trucks to a school that has been turned into a refugee camp for people displaced by Boko Haram.

The women had been traveling for three days from the forest where the military says it rescued them from captivity by the extremists. Two soldiers were injured when the convoy hit a land mine, said an officer who insisted on anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Looking bewildered, some even in shock, the freed women and children lined up for tea and a stew of baobab leaves. Many of the babies had just rags for clothes. The military will turn the care of the women and children over to the National Emergency Management Agency.

Lami Musa, 27, was holding her 4-day-old baby. She said she was abducted by Boko Haram five months ago from Lassa village. “The father of this child was killed by Boko Haram,” said Musa. “I don’t know where my three other children are.”

She was trying to breastfeed her newborn but said “there is no milk.” Her bare feet were swollen and she was helped to a clinic for treatment.

Many of those arriving will be treated for malaria and malnutrition, said Dr. Mohammed Auwal.

It is still not known if any of the females are the schoolgirls kidnapped from a boarding school in Chibok a year ago — a mass kidnapping that outraged much of the world.

The military said it has freed the women and children as part of the campaign to clear Boko Haram from Sambisa Forest.

“The assault on the forest is continuing from various fronts and efforts are concentrated on rescuing hostages … and destroying all terrorist camps and facilities in the forest,” said Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade.